With its ability to project a sonorous tone over almost any musical competition, the triangle has been a staple of the percussionist's arsenal for centuries. In all that time the triangle's design has remained essentially the same: a single steel rod bent into a triangular shape. The triangle is played by holding it in one hand or suspending it from a stand, and striking it with a beater held in the other hand. Performing any sort of creative or complex rhythms generally requires the use of two hands.